Automatic Check In when not using the Check Out action


Badge +3

Hi - I have created a workflow for review and approval.  The workflow starts if the column I have created called "Send for Approval" is set to "Yes! Go!".  This will change the status of the workflow to "starting", but it won't send notifications and move to "in progress" until the document is checked in.

I have two issues:

1.  Is there a way to check the document in automatically when the "send for notification" is changed to "Yes? Go!".  I tried the "check in" action but found out that only works when the "check out" action is used earlier in the workflow - which it isn't.

2.  My workflow is also meant to check the item out and change the column value to "Not Yet" if there are changes required, but this is not happening.  It should also then start the review workflow again once the column value is changed to "Yes! Go!".

I've attached the workflow - any help is gratefully received!!!

#workflow #statemachine #changestate #checkout 

UPDATE - I have resolved issue #2 by inserting a "commit pending changes" after "update item" happy.png

UPDATE 2 - I have just found out that the workflow starts even if the column value is set to "Not Yet", it then kicks in notifications when the document is checked in, so the Run If action is not working...


3 replies

Userlevel 5
Badge +13

Hi Patricia,

I was able to check in a document to a document library without previously checking it out in the workflow. I am in O365, are you as well? I set up a workflow that simply:

  1. Sets "Checked Out To" to a text variable
  2. RunIf "checkedOutToVar" is not empty (this is how I check to see if the doc is checked out)
    1. Check in Item <--- I put no comments or anything in it there, just checked it in.

This worked for me.

Badge +3

Hi Courtney!  Thanks for that - I created this workflow and added an extra condition (based on a column value):

Run if "Checked Out To" "is not empty"

AND

"Send for Approval?" equals "Yes! Go!"

but it didn't work, I'll remove the second condition to see if it runs then. I'm on Office 2010 and SP 2013 happy.png

Badge +3

Nope - no luck so far - any ideas anyone?

Reply